Nobody really “likes” the 400-meter race as it’s one of the most painful races known to man — albeit for a short time — but everybody likes how running it makes them look and feel. Case in point: Would you rather look like Marita Koch or Paula Radcliffe? Michael Johnson or Dennis Kipruto Kimetto?

To help you run your fastest and strongest 400-meter race, we've consulted with Tim Haft, a certified Level 1 USA Track & Field Coach, certified personal trainer and leader of New York-based workouts Punk Rope, Beastanetics and MoshFIT. Focusing on different aspects of the race, Haft has created three separate workouts to score you your best time yet.

Workout #1: A Fast Start:

The start of the 400 meters sets the tone for the race. You want to get off the starting line quickly, which requires plenty of leg drive and arm swing. To improve your start and the initial phase of the race, consider running intervals of 50 meters on a track at 90 percent effort, with full recovery between each interval.

To recover fully, walk slowly back to the starting line and then wait a full 60 seconds until your next bout. If your times start to slow down, then it's likely you need more recovery. Start with 6 intervals and work up to 12, adding 1 each week.

Workout #2: Building Strength & Stamina:

While you could certainly hit the weight room at the gym, I love the convenience of scissors jumps along with the fact that they do a good job of replicating the lactic acid buildup you’re going to face while running the 400 meters.

To perform a scissors jump (see instructional video here), begin in a split stance with your right foot forward and your right knee bent to 90 degrees. Your left foot is behind you and your left knee should be on or close to the ground, also bent to about 90 degrees. Next, using your legs and core, jump vertically while switching the positions of your legs in midair.

A great goal to shoot for initially is 30 seconds, and then eventually one minute. Keep recovery time the same as work time. Stop the exercise immediately if your form deteriorates.

Workout #3: Speed Endurance: 

To run the 400 meters well, you’ll need to sustain a relatively high speed for the entire race. Repeatedly running the entire 400 meters at race pace during your training will be too aggressive, but you can try running 300 meters in the following fashion:

“Float” for the first 100 meters, which means run as fast as you can in a relaxed manner. Then run the final 200 meters at race pace. AKA, sprint. Recover for approximately 15 minutes, then repeat one more time. 

Tim Haft is certified as a personal trainer by the American Council on Exercise and as a Level 1 track coach by USA Track & Field. Tim is the creator of Punk Rope, Beastanetics, and MoshFit. He has been training groups and individuals for a wide range of events since 1998.